Stock valve having yieldable gate engaging elements



April 18, 1961 1 wlLLIAMS 2,980,389

STOCK VALVE HAVING YIELDABLE GATE ENGAGING ELEMENTS Original Filed April 14, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 us '09 n7 u s %T 4 I III III n3 H3 l I05 m i 99 m 99 99 9s rm 95 /J 93 11.11 LLlJ 7 7 3 71 97 lol 7| h 9 INVENTOR. JOHN L.W| LLIAMS g M JZMK/ ATTORNEYS April 18, 1961 J. L. WILLIAMS 2,980,389

STOCK VALVE HAVING YIELDABLE GATE ENGAGING ELEMENTS Original Filed April 14, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet z INVENTOR. JOHN L. WILLIAMS States STOCK VALVE HAVING YIELDABLE GATE Y ENGAGING ELEMENTS John L. Williams, 17467 NE. West View Road, Oswe'go, Oreg.

Continuation of application Ser. No. 423,114, Apr. 14, 1954. This application July 11, 1958, Ser. No. 748,030

7 Claims. (Cl. 251--175) This invention relates to stock valves and particularly to stock valves of the type having a gate movable to and from a position between an annular seat and an arcuate backing member. This application is a continuation ofmy prior copending application Serial No. 423,114, filed April 14, 1954. Application Serial No. 423,114 is now abandoned in favor of the present application.

In the type of valve just mentioned, both the seat and the arcuate member are welded, or otherwise permanently secured, within a fluid passageway in the valve body and the gate is movable downwardly between the seat and arcuate member in guided relation thereto. The arcuate member is purposely made not completely annular in order to avoid collection of fibers and like matter between the lower portion thereof and the lower portion of the seat.

With the type of valve above described, a tight fit between the gate and the gate seat is not in many instances obtained because of the inability to hold close tolerances during fabrication of the valve and thus when the valve is placed in a stock line, liquid from the upstream side of the closed valve leaks around the gate and as this leakage continues fibers or other solids and semi-solids accumulate on the upstream side of the gate. As this accumulation proceeds a fiber or pulp log forms in the line making it necessary to close down operations and remove the valve from the line and clean the same.

It has been proposed to provide various types of wedges or wedge devices in such a valve so as to cam the gate tightly against the seat as thegate moves to its closed position. These wedges are expensive to manufacture and to assemble in place.

It is a main object of the present invention to provide a stock valve of the type generally indicated above, having an arcuate backing member fixed within the valve with its ends projecting slightly into the'path oftravel of the gate so thatas the gate movestoward its closed position it will engage the projecting ends of the backing member and be forced tightly into seating engagement with the gate seat, whereby a tightly closed valve is obtained without requiring the use of expensive wedging devices.

It is a more particular object of the present invention to provide a stock valve of the type just described, wherein the backing member is secured to the valve in a manner leaving free end portions which are permanently deformed toward the gate seat and are elongated so as to have yielding qualities, whereby, when the gate is moved to its closed position it will engage these yieldable end portions and thus be firmly urged into a tight seating engagement with the gate seat.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a valve of the type just described, wherein the free end portions of the backing member are arranged to engage the gate only after the gate has moved a considerable extent toward its closed position;

' Another object of the invention is toprovide ainovel method of constructing a valve of the present invention.

- outlet members Connecting each of plates .19 and 21 ICE Another object of the invention is to provide a gate valve of the type under consideration having backing means, and particularly backing means in the form of an incomplete ring, providing spaced yieldable fingers specially positioned and oriented relative to a gate blade having a curved end so as to apply pressure to the blade in spaced relation to the blade tip to firmly press the blade against a valve seat with a minimum of contact between the fingers and the blade.

Various other objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is an end view of a gate valve embodying the concepts of the present invention, looking at the upstream side of the valve, the gate being shown disposed in its closed position;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 2, showing the gate in its raised open position;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken along line 44 of Fig. l, more fullyshowing the interior of the valve chest; and

Figs. 5 and 6 are diagrammatic views showing the action of the ends of the backing member as the gate moves toward its closed position.

Referring to the accompanying drawings wherein similar reference characters designate similarparts throughout, there is disclosed a valve embodying the concepts of the present invention, said valve including a tubular member generally indicated at 7, the left-hand portion 9 of which, see Fig. 2, constitutes an inlet member, and the right-hand portion of which constitutes an outlet member 11. The tubular member 7 thus provides a fluid passageway of uniform diameter through the valve.

A plugged purge nipple 13 is provided for each of the inlet and outlet members, each .nipple being secured to the bottom of its member and communicating with the interior of such member through an opening formed in said member. Tubular member 7 is formed of corrosion resistant metal, such as stainless steel, to enable it to resist the action of acid containing paper stock.

Secured to each of the inlet and outlet members adjacent the outer end thereof is an annular mild steelflange 15. Secured to the outer face of each flange is a stainless steel ring 17 adapted to abut against a flange on a pipe section to which the valve is to be connected. Suitable bolt holes, see Fig. 1, are provided in each of flanges -15, to enable the flange to be secured to a'pipeflange.

having corresponding openings.

Secured to the upper surfaces of the inletand outlet members 9 and 11. are the lower ends of-valve chest plates Hand 21, respectively, which are generally rectangular' in configuration except for having their lower.

ends curved to conform to the curvature of the inlet and to the associated or adjacent flange =15 is a generally rectangular plate 23, compare Figs. 1 and 4. Joining the,

side edges of plates 19 and 21 are rectangular side plates 25 and 27, see Fig. 4, which are secured at their lower ends'totheinlet and outlet members. Plates 19, 21, 25

and 27 form a valve chest for-the valve. I Wear plates 29' are secured to the inner faces of plates 25 and 27, compa r ,e

Figs. 3 and 4, for a purpose to appear hereinafter.

A U-shaped stiffening member 31,. see Fig. 3, extends around and is secured to the lower half of tubular mem ber 7 substantially centrally between the ends of th e tubular member and has its upper ends extending along and secured to the outer faces of plates 25 and 27.

Surrounding the valve chest at the upper end th'ereof'; vis a rectangular loop-shaped mild steel chestflange'33" which is secured tothe plates which constitute thecliest.

Patented Apr. 18, 1961- cheeses The upper ends stiffening member 31 and the upper 1 ends of plates 23 are secured to the lower face of flange 33. Disposed within the valve chest are two pairs of gate guide, plates35 and 37,.the, plates .of each pair being secured at'their outer edges to plates 19 and 21 respectivelyyand having their. inner edges spaced apart a distance slightly greaterthan the thickness of a; gate blade ,39 which is supported in a mannerto be ,presently indicatedjfor movement between such edges. Sufiicc it,

f in Fig. 4 is actually a single compartment including two portions in free communication with one another when. the, gate is elevated, see Fig. 3. The same explanation applies to compartment-D. Each of the above four com-, 7 v paitments is provided with a plugged purge nipple 43,

which is secured to the chest and communicates with the.

, compartment through an opening in the chest wall. Gate 39 has a s'emicircularly curved lower end, as the parts are'shown in Fig. 1. This lower edge is beveled on the upstream sidethereof to provide a knife edge. Gate 39 is adapted, when in its closed position, to seat against an annular gate seat 45 which fits concentrically and co-. axially within outlet member 11 in a position parallel to the path' of movement of gate 39 and spaced just to one 7 side'of said path to be in a position for the gate to slide closely thereby. The annular seat is welded, as shown, to the. inner surface of the outlet member 11 at a place just downstream of slot 41. The annular seat preferably has its outer upstream edge beveled so as to present a;

beveled surface to the lower edge of the gate. a Disposed opposite to and parallel to a seat 45 is a generally C-shaped, arcua te metal backing member 47 whichfits against the walls of inlet member 9 and is spaced from the seat a distance slightly greater than the thickness of gate 39. The outer downstream edge of the arcuate backing member is likewise beveled, :as shown in" Fig. 2, to present a beveledsurface to the gate 39. The backing member has a circumferential length of greater I than 180 degrees but less than 360 degrees and is oriented,

so that the ends thereof extend toward the semicircularly curved, end of the gate blade inthe closed position thereof. Asis apparent from Figs. 1 and 2 backing member 47 is welded at placesspaced from its ends at ,51 to the inner a stainless steelshiftable plate67. Clamping plate 67 against the just mentioned edges is a relatively thick mild steel backing plate 69, which is free from plate 67 and is bolted to the chest flange 33 by nuts and bolts .71. Surrounding the upper portion of the valve chest is a rectangular stainless steel. 10.011173, which is welded to the upper face of flange 33', and between which and the outergrnargin of stainless steeliplate '67 'is' clamped a rectangular gasket loop .75, compare.Fig's..2 and 3.

Gate39 extends throughzrectangular slots .formed in plates 67 .and.69 and also through a rectangular loopshaped packing 89 surrounding the gate and supported by the: inner margins of.plate 67. Packing'89 is contained within a packing box 91, welded-to plate 67,,1and is'pressed downwardly and inwardly by.a rectangular loop-shaped packing gland 93, whichhas outwardly beveled lower edges engaging the packing to forceit'into engagement with .the gate. Welded to the upper edgesof glandv 93 are Qflanges95 having U-shaped' recesses in theouter margin thereof, compare Figs. land 2, through which extend the upper endstof T-shaped swing bolts 97. Nuts.

99 are threaded on the upper ends of said bolts'to force the packing gland downwardly, suitable'lock washers being furnishedtherebeneath. The, heads of the bolts are pivoted in pairsof lugs 101 fixed to plate v67.

Q It'is apparent that when bolts and nuts 71, previously mentioned, are loosened, the packing gland assembly,

. including, plate 67, box 91, gland 93 andpacking 89, may be slightly shifted relative to the valve chest to'enable gate' 39,,to1center itself relative to seat and backing member 47. Thereafter, nuts and bolts 71 are tightened and acentered relation of the gate and'seat and backing members is maintained. The construction of the packing gland assembly is covered in my application: Serial No. 248,030, filedSeptember 24, 1951, now Patent No. 2,720, 379. Application SerialiNo. 248,030 was copending with my application Serial No. 423,114. 1' The subject application is a continuation of myapplication Serial No. 423,1l4.-' v

Gate 39 is shown in its closed position in Fig; 2 and isada'pted to bev elevated by a'screw. 105, which has a clevised'lower end connected bya'bolt and nut 107 to the 3 upper portion of gate'39. The screw is threadedly received adjacent its upper end by a sleeve-type nut 109,

walls of inletmember 9 to provide free endsportions 53. Y

sidered orgviewed in a radial direction, to thus have subthrough the valve, that is, in a direction normal to the plane ofthe gate blade. That is, the endshave substantial yielding qualities as compared to their being welded in place. Thus there are provided yieldable yet j relativelystifi spring fingers. These spring fingers are, permanently bent ordeformed, as at 57, toward seat 45, toan extent-such as to be in part disposed closer; to said: seat than the ;thickness of thegate, see Fig. 5. The

I It is possible to weld the free ends of the arcuate backing member 47 to.the walls of the inlet member 9 after.

.The free end portions are elongated, at least when con- 7 stantial'yielding qualities inthe direction of fluid flow which is rotatably mounted in 'a sleeve 111. Sleeve 111 is fixed to and between the upperends of a pair of arms 113, the lower ends of which, are secured, such as by welding, to plate 69. The arms are T-shaped in crosssection, as is apparent by a comparison of Figs. 1 and 2. .Nut 109 has a bottom flange engaging the lower end of sleeve 111, 'see Fig. 2, and has keyed thereto, above sleeve 111, a hand'wheel 115. A nut 1'17'is threaded on the upper end of nut 109'to retain the hand wheel in place. -A "stop nut 119 is threaded on the upper end of screw 105 andiheld in a fixed position by a set screw, as shown. The stop nut is operable to engage the upper end of sleeve type nut 109 just prior to the time that the lower'edge of gate 39 would engage'the lower walls of the fluid passageway in the valve body. Thus damage to the sharp lower edge of the gate is avoided.

{Referring to Figs-Sand ,6, inf 0peratiQn,'-the hand wheel is rotatedinthe appropriate direction to cause the gate 39 to descend, the gate moving along the upstream I face of seat 45, pushingwhatever debris or solid matoperatlonpf these fingers-W111 be explamed hemmafieers ter which collects or accumulates between the backing they have been permanently deformed, provided the.

space between such' ends and theseat is only slightly less than the thickness of thegate, ;Even so considerable gelling takes, place and thus this latter type of construction is to be considered only amodified form of the invention, not having all of the-advantages of the form of the invention previously described.. .1 Qlamped against the upper edges of thevalve chest is.

member and the'seat downwardly toward the opening between 'the ends of the backing member. As the gate. en-

gages the yieldable fingers of the backing member, see

Fig. 5, it is pressed intotight engagement with the seat member. Because the end portions 53 of the backing member are disposed below the horizontal diameter of the tubular member 7, see Fig.3, and because the lower end of the gate is rounded, the gatewill engage the end portions. or fingers 5.3 only after said gate has moved a considerable extent towardj itsQclosedpositiqn. Thus the gate may be relatively freely'movedtoward its closed position for a'major portion of such closing'movement.

It is pointed out that the vxe'lde'd intermediate portion of the backing member is only slightly spaced from the gate blade and thus such'intermediate portion functions to prevent the gate blade when it is closed from being bent by the forces of back pressure; 7 a

It is evident that when the gate 'is in its closed position and held tightly seated by fingers 53, water or liquid cannot leak past the gate by seeping between the gate and the seat of the seat member. By virtue of such tight seating engagement, there is assurance that there will be no dehydration of stock and thus no formation of fiber logs in the line.

Reverse rotion of the hand wheel will raise the gate 39 to its elevated position shown in Fig. 3. It is pointed out that because the backing member does not extend downwardly opposite the bottom portion of seatmember 45,'there will be no collection of solids or debris at the upstream side of the bottom portion of the seat member.

It is desirable at certain intervals to purge or clean the valve chest of the solid material or any debris collecting therein. This is readily accomplished with the valve remaining in the lineby elevating the gate to the Fig. 3 position, unplugging chest nipples 43, and the nipples 13 in the tubular member 7, and running clean Water into'nipples 43 and flushing the debris out through the lower nipples 13. Of course, valves upstream and' downstream of the valve being cleaned isolate the valve being purged.

' By the present invention, a paper stock valve has been provided having a simple and inexpensive backing member so secured in place and deformed as to furnish yieldable fingers for engaging the gate as the gate descends, to cause the gate to form a tight seat against the gate seat of the valve. This tight seating is obtained without the necessity of wedging devices previously employed. It is apparent that the present invention has also provided an arrangement whereby the smiling box for the gate may be shifted to enable the gate to correctly seat against the gate seat and move between the gate seat and the backing member. Furthermore, a simple purge arrangement has been'provided whi'ch enables the valve chest to be cleaned or purged with a minimum amount of shutdown time and with the valve remaining in the line. Also, by the provision of the stop nut 119, the gate 39 is stopped in a position with its lower edge spacedslight- 1y from the lower walls of the fluid passageway through the valve.

Having described the invention in what is considered to be the preferred embodiment thereof, it is desired that it be understood that the invention is not to be limited by the specific details shown, unless such details constitute critical features of the present invention, all of which will be apparent by reference to the following claims.

I claim:

1. A gate valve comprising a valve body having inlet and outlet portions having curved walls of circular cross section defining a flow passage, said valve body providing a gate blade slot between said inlet and outlet portions, a gate blade having a semi-circular end projecting through said slot, a seat for said blade on said outlet portion, a backing member for said blade disposed on the side thereof remote from said seat, said backing member consisting solely of an incomplete ring having an external diameter the same as the internal diameter of said inlet portion, said backing member being disposed in nesting relation within the curved walls of said inlet portion with the central part of said backing member next to the central part of said slot and the end portions of said backing member disposed symmetrically one on are closed to A either side of the center line of said blade to be laterally spaced relative to the tip of said blade, said backing 6. member being connected by a weld at its outer arcuate' edge to the curved walls of said inlet portion inspaccd relation "to said end portions soth'at said'end'portionsprovide yieldable backingfingers, said fingers extending generally in the direction ofclosing movement of said blade and projecting toward said outlet portion to engage said blade and push it against said seat, said fingers also being longitudinally spaced from such said blade tip in the closed position of the latter, so that said fingers apply pressure against said blade along a transverse region longitudinally spaced toward the central portion of the passage from the closed position. of said blade tip, the curvature of said blade end providing for initial engage ment between said fingers and the side marginal portions of said blade just'before said blade is fully closed and separation of said fingers and blade just after said blade commences its opening movement, despite the longitudinal spacing of said fingers 'fromsaid blade tip closed position.

2. A gate valve as described in claim 1 in which the portions of said incomplete ring which are connected by a weld to said inlet body portion project into the flow passage not substantially farther than said valve seat so that because of this and theconforming, nesting relationship of the incomplete ring within said inlet body portion, the incomplete ring does not materially interfere with the flow of fluid through said flow passage.

' 3. A gate valve comprising a valve body having a flow passage and a gate'blade slot in the walls of said passage, a gate blade having a semicircular end projecting through said slot, a seat for said blade, backing means for said blade disposed on the side thereof remote from said seat, said backing means including two yieldable fingers disposed symmetrically one 'on either side of-the center line of said blade and near the side edges of said blade so as to be laterally spaced relative to'the tip of said blade, said fingers extending generally in the direction of closing movement of said blade, and projecting toward said seat to engage said blade and push it against said seat, said fingers also being longitudinally spaced in the direction of opening movement of said blade from the tip of said blade when said blade is closed so that said fingers apply pressure against said blade along a transverse region longitudinally spaced toward the central portion of the passage from said blade tip in the closed position of the blade, the'curvature of said blade end providing for initial engagement between said fingers'and the side marginal portions of said'blade end just before said blade is fully closed and separation of said fingers and blade end just after said balde commences its opening movement, despite the longitudinal spacing of said fingers from said blade tip in the closed position of the latter.

4. A gate valve as described in claim 3 in which there are means for securing said backing means to said valve body, said securing means being directly accessible through said flow passage so that securement of said backing means to said valve body may be accomplished after said valve body is assembled, said backing member being of a size to pass through the flow passage to enable the backing member to be mounted in place after the valve body is assembled.

5. A gate valve comprising a valve body having inlet and outlet portions having curved walls of circular cross section defining a flow passage, said valve body providing a gate blade slot between said inlet and outlet portions, a gate blade having a semicircular end projecting through said slot, a seat for said blade on said outlet portion, a backing member for said blade disposed on the side thereof remote from said seat, said backing member being in the form of an incomplete ring having an external diameter the same as the internal diameter of said inlet portion, said backing member being arranged in nesting relation within the curved walls of said inlet portion with the central part of said backing member next to the ceningcmembendisposed symmetrically one on'eithe'r side. of"

thei center linefofzsaid blade to lbe' laterally' *spacedrela-T tiveto the tip of 'said bl'ade, said backing member being secured to'thetcurved: walls to said inlet portion in spaced 5; I

7 blade just rafter-zsaidiblade,commencesgits open'jng mover;

relation tosaidendrportions so that said end: portions provide yieldable backing fingers; said fingers extending.

generallyrin the; direction of closing movementrofrsaid blade and projecting toward said outlet portion toengage pressure against said blade'along a transverse region longitudinally spaced'toward the central portion of the passage from the closed position of said blade tip, the Hi curvature of said .blade end providing for initial engagement between said fingers. and the side marginal portions of said blade just befor e'said blade is fully closed, and separation of said'fingers and blade just after said blade commences it's'bpening movement,-despite the longitudi- 20.;

nal spacing'of said "fingers 'from said 'blade tip closed position. 7"

6. A gate valvecomprising a valve body having inlet andoutlet portions having curved walls of circular, cross section defining a flow passage, said valve body'providing J 253 a gate blade slot between said inlet and outlet portions, a gate blade having a semicircular end projecting through said slot, a seat for said blade on said outlet"portion,'.a

backing member 'for, 'saidfbladeL disposed 'on the side thereof remote from said seat, said'backing member being W inqthe form of an incomplete ringhaving an external diameter the same'as the internal diameter of said inlet. portion, saidflba'cking member being arranged innesting: relation within the "curved walls .of said inlet portion central part of said slot and the-end portions of said backing member? disposed symmetrically tone on either a side of the center line of said blade to be laterally spaced 7 relative to V theltip of said blade, -said backing member being welded at-its outer arcuate edge to the curved walls 40 said: outlet portion to engage said blade and push it 45 against said seat, said fingers also being longitudinally r spaced from such said blade tip in the closed position of thelatter, so that said'fingers apply pressure against said blade along a transverse region longitudinally spaced 7 toward tliecentrabportion of theypassage from the closed position of said bladetip, thecurvatu-re'oi said blade end; providing' forrinitial engagementbetwensaid fingers; and

the side; marginal; portions; of said b1ade';iu t -b;fore; said; blade: is fully closed; and 1 separation jof; :said fingers :and

ment, despite the longitudinal spacing-50f; said-fingers from said-blade tip closed position; the portihns Qf the backing member which are conneetedibyja lwel'di to the inlet portion of the; valve body; projecting into the flow passageso that they are ,directlyaccessible through, said flowpassage so that welding'may be applied-;after the" valveis assembled, said backing member-being of ajsize: to be passed through the inlet portion ;to enable ;tl 1eback ing: member to be mounted in place afterthevalye body is-assembled. r 7' r2135?" 1 1 i f 7; The method of, providing backing; means: against a gate blade to hold the:blade against aiseat; wherein, said blade'intersects, a flowipassageway of c'ircular:crosssection, said method comprising providing a partial Iing:of a, size to be passed into said flow passageway and having an outetdiameter the same as *the diameter of 'saidrpassageway, passing said partial ringinto saidfflow passageway and positioning said partialringjnfnesting relationtin said passageway; next to the; path ofrmovement of said blade with the plane of said ring being disposed perpendicularly to the axis of said passageway-and, with the ends of'said ring'pointingdnthe generaldirection of movement of" said. blade and ;symmetr ically disposed -rela tiye; to said blade, welding the ring at its fouter-arcuatecdge to; said passageway and terminating said welding'operation short of the ends of said, ring to leavefree fingerportions, thereafter permanentlydeforming said finger-portions, in V j the direction of the 'pathrof, movementof said blade and with the central part of said backing member next to the 35 into said path so that such: ends engagesaid blade and press the 'blade against, said seat.v 1*

' References'Cite d the file of j V UNITED STATES PATENTS 7 601,923 

